Beau is such an active kiddo. Trying to get him to sit down and actually play with a toy is hard. It tends to go more like pick-up the toy, throw the toy, chase the toy, climb with the toy in hand, try to give the toy to the dog, dance with the toy. The kid loves to move. This year we are focusing on things that will keep our active little boy delighted!

Traditionally we do family gifts on Christmas Eve and of course Santa Gifts and stockings on Christmas Day. I am following two basic models for my gifting. On Christmas Eve we will do a something to wear, something he needs, something he wants, and something for him to experience. Christmas Day, we ask Santa to bring three gifts just as the three wise men did. We ask for one larger/nicer gift (that’s the gold), and two smaller gifts (representing the frankincense and myrrh).

Janie and Jack is my go to for nice outfits. They are pricey but great for special occasions and can be found on sale often. Sweater / Button-Up Shirt / Pants

Beau is in need of a table and chair that he can sit at for meal times, crafting, and playing. This set from Pottery Barn is adorable! Table and Chair Set

During our fist year of marriage I decided that birthday’s would not consist of physical gifts (or at least not much) but instead be experiences. We have had some wonderful adventures over the past years because of this. Also, it has been a great way for us not to accumulate more “stuff”. Obviously this list can be used as a date idea list. Some of them are kind of pricey though so we wouldn’t be doing them normally.

For the Sports Lover:

Professional, college, or minor league games

Tour of sports stadiums

Sports hall of fame museum tours

Pay for his season on a local Sports & Social Club team

Go to a fencing or archery lesson.

Go to a gun range – if that’s your thing, try to find one that does gun rentals so he can shoot different guns.

Set up a tee time at a local golf course for him and some friends.

For the Gearhead:

Monster truck rally

Drag race

Other car shows or events

Performance driving school day

Luxury car rental

Full day of test driving cars (for free!)

For the Foodie:

Surprise picnic – Go to a park, beach, or for a hike. Get some yummy deli foods and specialty sodas or beers.

Movie events – Movie theaters like Alamo Drafthouse have quote along days with classic movies they are always a blast

Murder Mystery Party or Dinner

Local classes – Photography, archaeology, etc.

Tickets to a tech/film/music/etc convention

Some things to consider:

Budget – What’s your budget this year? If you are on a budget consider looking into (at least a few weeks ahead of time) Groupon, Living Social, or if you happen to be in one of the offered cities Gilt. Keep in mind that Gilt tends to be more curated but Groupon and Living Social are not (which is why those business models are failing, but I digress). If you find something on those sites, look for reviews, Yelp it. Make sure it’s going to be something that isn’t going to be a huge disappointment. No pressure or anything.

Travel – You may consider a weekend getaway (something we did often pre baby). Day trips or weekend trips can be really cool depending on your schedule.

Local Events – These can be the best. Think state fair or unique local events and festivals.

This year, The Daddi-o, has decided yet again to do another ultra-marathon (because you know that sounds like an absolutely joyous birthday event). I am giving him a cryotherapy session for after the race. He’s been wanting to do it for years so this was an easy year. Good thing too because with trying to keep the tiny human alive I almost forgot. Wife of the year.

Also, he’s getting this. Yes, it is amazing. Now he totally can’t be upset with my Zulily obsession.